Siteman Cancer Center Joins National Comprehensive Cancer Network

March 22, 2006 – With new national recognition, the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine will help establish national cancer care guidelines in the United States.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of the world’s leading cancer centers, added the Siteman Cancer Center to its roster of 20 centers dedicated to improving the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives.

As an NCCN member, Siteman will be involved in the planning, development, and validation of therapies that represent the future of cancer care, according to Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, Siteman Cancer Center director.

”Oncologists at Siteman Cancer Center – medical, radiation, surgical oncologists – will not only contribute to the development of new protocols based upon the extensive basic and clinical research in cancer carried out here but will also bring other ideas back to Siteman Cancer Center, creating new avenues of investigation and innovative patient care,” says Dr. Eberlein.

“Our participation allows us to become intimately involved in the development of practice guidelines for cancer care,” says Shirley Johnson, RN, director of oncology services at Siteman. “We will be involved in the creation of national cancer guidelines and it gives us the opportunity to help establish the national agenda for treating cancer in this country.”

It’s another national recognition for Siteman. In January 2005, the cancer center joined elite company as a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Comprehensive Cancer Center. That honor gave Siteman access to clinical trials and treatment options only available to NCI Designated centers.

The Siteman Cancer Center has multidisciplinary programs for all types of cancer with nearly 6,000 new cancer patients treated each year. In addition to treatment excellence, Siteman Cancer Center also provides access to clinical studies for all disease types and reaches out to over 30,000 people yearly with cancer screening and education programs.

“We welcome the Siteman Cancer Center to the NCCN. Siteman is recognized internationally as a leader in the development and delivery of high quality cancer care,” said William T. McGivney, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of NCCN. “Siteman will serve to geographically complement other NCCN members in our unique, premier network.”

The next closest NCCN members to the St. Louis area are Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University in Chicago and the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.